To create high-quality films that truthfully and powerfully conveys the stories and struggles of people and consequently enables them to fulfill their vision and reach their goals.
WE SPECIALIZE IN
DOCUMENTARIES & NARRATIVE FILMS
ILLEGAL THE MOVIE
Illegal is a feature-length documentary about the miraculous journey of Salvadoran immigrant Laz Ayala’s life or death path to U.S. citizenship, the challenges of present-day immigration, and his mission to humanize immigrants and reform immigration for the benefit of all. It is directed by our own Nick Alexander and filmed by the Nick Alexander Films team.
Illegal wrapped up a successful Kickstarter campaign on April 3rd, 2020 which raised over $40,000 for the production of the film. The film has been selected to over forty festivals including Beverly Hills International Film Festival, Ashland Independent Film Festival, and Richmond International Film Festival. Illegal was acquired by Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios and launched on VOD on Apple TV, Amazon, Sling, Google Play and Xbox July 6th, 2021
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
In 2016 when I graduated from university, I told people that my dream was to film a documentary in Latin America. At the time I was clueless of how this would come to pass — until the day I met Laz Ayala, an immigrant from El Salvador.
Laz and I met at the Southern Oregon Rotary Club where I was hired to film Laz’s speech. Thirty minute keynote — nothing out of the ordinary, right? Wrong. After hearing Laz’s testimony, I was inspired by his life story, suggesting that it could be a powerful film. In November 2018, I was chosen to direct his movie and my dream became a reality. At that time my motivation for telling Laz’s story was purely biographical—to give the American public an opportunity to step into the immigrant’s shoes and learn about their story of desire, struggle and success.
However, as I finish editing today and am exporting the final movie, I realize that sharing Laz’s narrative is not just a “feel-good” underdog success story; rather, it is about finding a solution to the conundrum of illegal immigration, one that is humane, impartial and a win-win for the migrant, employer and American society. Creating this movie has become more than just achieving a personal dream, but standing up for something that really matters in this life — and that is humanity. Everyone has a name, a story and a dream. Proudly, I share with you the story of Laz Ayala.
--Nick Alexander
ABOUT THE MOVIE
The film begins as Laz journeys back to his childhood home in El Salvador. He recounts his arduous path north on the Pan American Highway with his father and brother where at any moment they could have been discovered and turned back… or killed. Laz’s life is a story of struggle, determination, and hope for a brighter future for immigrants, the industries that rely upon them, and our entire country.
